Vehicle running-gear



(No Model.)

G.. E.- BARTHOLOMEW,

VEHICLE RUNNING GEAR.

Patented May 6, 1890.

SM MM 5m q vitmaooeo MZW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. BARTHOLOMEYV, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

VEHICLE RUNNING-GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,033, dated May 6, 1890. Application filed October 14, 1889. Serial No; 326,973. (No model.)

bersome attachments, prevent head motion and roll of the body and also rolling of the axles, and to insure an easy-riding vehicle. These objects I attain by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in connection with which the invention will be first fully described, after which the novel features will be particularly referred to in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like parts are indicated by similar reference-letters wherever they occur throughout the various views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a road-wagon embodying my invention, the wheels being removed on sectional lines taken between them and the body through the axles and axle-bed. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of an undercut job, mounted upon my improved gear. Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of part of the same.

Any form of body may be hung up upon the form of gear shown in Figs. 3 and 4; but for ordinary straight Work, or buggy or business wagon, I prefer the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The two forms differ only in the arrangement for attaching the body to the inner ends of the longitudinal under springs.

I will first describe the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The body A is the ordinary pianobox commonly used for road-wagons. The front axle B, its bolster B, and rear axle B are of ordinary construction, as are also the fifth-wheel O and the elliptic springs D, which springs are mounted in the usual manner on the rear axle and bolster. The front and rear ends of the body are supported from springs D by loops D, the upper portions of which are bolted or clipped on top of the spring-bars D The loops D curve downwardly and then extend under the bottom of the body, to which their horizontal ends are secured. No novelty is claimedfor this means of hanging a body from elliptic springs.

To the cross-bars E E are secured three pairs of springs, each pair being composed of two single-plate springs arranged one above the other. The front pair, composed of springs F F, are arranged under the longitudinal center of the body and extend for- Ward to the double shackle F in which their terminal eyes are pivoted by the shacklebolts f. The double-shackle F is rigidly secured to the bolster B, arches inward to free the fifth-wheel, and terminates in a plate f, which passes under the axle and is perforated to pass the king-bolt b. The upper spring F of the forward pair passes under the cross-bar E and is secured on top of the crossbar E, while the lower spring F has its end secured to theunder side of the block E and is separated from the upper spring underneath the bar E by a stay-block e. A bolt 6 passes through the bar E, both springs, and the stay-block c, and has a nut.- upon its end to tighten the parts together.

The rear springs G G have their terminal eyes pivoted on shackle-bolts h in double shackles H, which are clipped underneath the rear axle B The upper spring G of each pair passes over both cross-bars E E, and the lower springs G under them. Four bolts 9 secure all the springs G G to the cross-bars.

I prefer to arrange the springs, as shown, to diverge from their point of attachment to the cross-bars to their shackles H, which are secured upon the rear axle in order to more firmly brace the gear; but this is not essential, as the gear is sufficiently braced when the springs are arranged parallel with each other.

Then the front and rear springs are used in pairs arranged one above the other and pivoted in the double shackles, the elliptic end springs may be dispensed with, as the double springs pivoted at their outer ends in the double shackles will prevent the axles from rolling and keep the gear in good shape; but either the upper or lower springs of the pairs may be omitted when the end springs D are employed, single shackles being of course substituded for the double ones F and H; but in such case I make the remaining springs stronger by additional leaves in the usual way.

In the form shown in Figs. 3 and l the under springs and their connections to their 5 shackles are the same as in the preceding figures. The end elliptic springs are also the same, and are secured to the rear axle and head-block or bolster in the same manner;

but as the body is undercut to allow the to front wheels to swing under the body in turning, the springs F F G G must be shorter and be secured underneath the body upon opposite sides of the undercut portion. The

cross-bars E E may be employed in this kind I 5 of a job, the same as in the formerly-described one, and the inner ends of the upper springs secured upon the top and the corresponding ends of the lower springs secured underneath these bars; but this would not look neat. I

have therefore substituted for the cross-bars E E the metal couplings I. These are preferably made of malleable east-iron having perforated webs or flanges t' to pass fastening bolts, by which they are secured to the body- 2 5 bottom, and lips 21, which receive the inner ends of the springs, and between which these ends are held by bolts or clips which pass througlrthe lips and the ends of the springs.

These couplings I may also be substituted for the cross-bars E E when the form of body shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is used, but there would be no advantage in doing so. I wish it to be understood, however, that I consider such mere mechanical changes within the 3 5 spirit and scope of my invention. And I also desire it to be understood that while the principal feature of my invention is a light gear which will support the body near its transverse center, dispense with the rigid perch,

4o prevent the axles from rolling, and at the same time utilize the ordinary elliptic springs to insure a soft even movement of the body in use and prevent the head motion so objectionable in spring vehicles, I do not limit myself to the use of the elliptic springs with my lower springs, although they are the best.

It would be but an inferior modification of my invention to use the semi-elliptic or any well-known form of end spring for the full elliptic shown, or to leave the end springs off entirely when the under springs are used inpairs instead of singly. \Vhat I claim is 1. In a vehicle running-gear, the combina- 5 5 tion, with the axles and bolster, of the under springs arranged in pairs one above the other, and longitudinally upon opposite sides in the rear and centrallyin front the couplin forthe inner ends of said springs secured to the under side of the body and separating the upper and lower spring of each pair, shackles rigidly secured to the rear axle and to the bolsprings.

ster to receive the eyes of said springs, and bolts passing through said shackles and eyes to pivotally connect the eye ends of said springs to said shackles, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of the axles, bolster, the cross-bars E E, the double shackle F secured to the bolster, and the double shackles II, secured to the rear axle, with the springs F F and G G, arranged in pairs one above the other and having their eyes pivoted upon the shackled bolts and their inner ends secured to and separated by the cross-bars, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, substantially as shown and described,with thebod y, axles, and bolster, 0f the under springs arranged longitudinally upon opposite sides in the rear and centrally in front, the inner ends of said springs being rigidly secured centrally underneath the body, the shackles secured rigidly to the rear axle and bolster to receive the eyes of said springs, the bolts pivoting the eyes of said springs in the shackles, the transverse end springs D, secured, respectively, upon the rear axle and bolster, and the loops D, connecting the front and rear of the body with said end at. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the under springs F F G G, arranged in pairs one above the other, the double shackles F secured rigidly to the bolster, the double shackles II II, secured rigidly to the under side of the rear axle, the bolts pivotally connecting the eyes of said springs in their shackles, the cross-bars E E e, for coupling the inner ends of said springs and staying them apart, the said springs G passing over the bars E E, the springs G passingv under said bars, said spring F passing under the front bar E and terminating on the bar E, and the spring F secured under the bar E and separated from the bar E by the block c, and the bolts for securing the inner ends of the springs to the spring-bars.

5. The combination, substantially as specified, of the axles, bolster, and body, the elliptic springs D, secured upon the rear axle and bolster, the spring-bars secured upon said springs, the loops D, to hang the body to the said springs and longitudinally arranged under springs rigidly secured to the under side of the body near its transverse center, two in rear and one in front, and having their eyes pivoted in shackles rigidly secured to the bolster and rear axle, for the purpose set forth.

GEORGE E. BARTIIOLOMEW.

' \Vitnesses:

FRANK L. IVIILL'WARD, GEO. J. MURRAJY. 

